Despair and Melancholie
by 3Tangled-Up-In-Blue3
Summary: When Prince Desperaux Melancholie of Gale was born, he was born with one red eye; a curse to his people. After living all his life in solitude, his secret is revealed and he must escape from his kingdom, but return in time to save his family.
1. Chapter 1: The Accursed Prince

Despair and Melancholie

Chapter One: The Accursed Prince

"Master Desperaux! Master Desperaux! It's a beautiful morning!"

My maid, Crystaline, chimed a bell and called out to me. At first, I woke but didn't respond. Then I felt her hands yank from me, with surprising strength for such a small woman, the numerous sheets and blankets of my bed. Revealing myself, dizzy and confused.

"Good morning Master Desperaux!" She cheered, paying no mind to the impromptu invasion of my privacy.

I yawned and sleepily rustled the hair from my eyes. My golden and accursed red eyes. Crystaline paid no mind to this, as usual.

"Breakfast is awaiting you downstairs, Master Desperaux." She smiled, laying out in front of me my clothes. Truly, I could do all of this simple work myself, but my parents had so urgently insisted that my every daily obligation was taken care of by a butler, servant or maid.

With a sigh, I walked down the long marble staircase of the castle, towards the dining hall. I was almost to the bottom when I again heard,

"Master Desperaux!"

I turned again to see Crystaline, holding in her hands the patch for my eye. My parents warned me to always wear it, though I spent all day, every day, inside my home. It was imperative that no one of the kingdom of Gale could know that their prince was cursed with the eye of a demon. Often, I would try to get away with "losing" or "forgetting" my eye patch. Such a day as this was not of that sort.

"Thank you." I said softly, reaching to take it from her hands, but she pulled back.

"Let me," She smiled, and fastened the patch around my right eye. I sighed.

"Crystaline, I can do something like this for myself. I am not a child."

"Yes, I know. But you are the prince."

Breakfast was prepared for me, as always. My mother and father were nowhere to be found, which was not so out of the ordinary. As king and queen, they were expected to be doing their part to protect our kingdom.

Gale was a beautiful place, or so I could tell from the times I gazed out the window to it. I was not allowed to leave the castle for any reason, and I hadn't. For all the twenty five years so far of my life, I was kept inside this castle. It was for this reason, I yearned for adventure. Though I would never disobey my parents. They made any servant, who works in the castle to swear to secrecy. Crystaline, my maid, was my best friend. She knew of my troubles, and taught me when I was unable to attend schools; she understood my loneliness and always offered herself to be my friend. In truth, she was my most treasured companion. Though she could be impulsive and clumsy, it never directly affected me.

The days kept a routine for me, and always there were lessons. Most of them were basic knowledge taught to me by Crystaline, but sometimes she would let me go my lonesome and practice the things I loved, like dancing and playing my instruments. Often I would catch her standing in the doorway listening to me play the violin, or hearing me sing. The lifestyle of the castle was a crowded, busy solitude, and most of the servants refused to gaze upon the face of their accursed prince. They tended to their duties in silence, and dreaded me.

It was cruel, and I always felt the stab of every quickened glance away from my face. It was painful, but it could not be helped. It would seem many things here are beyond relief.

I had fallen asleep in the castle's grand library, when a loud noise startled me awake. I couldn't make out what it had been, but soon I heard many rushed footsteps and angry voices resound through the halls. Even the amount of servants we enlisted were not capable of making such alacrity. I stood, confused at the growing clamor of steps growing closer to me. In fear, I rushed to the far side of the library, and opened the door to a small slit, wide enough to see through.

Men cad in black armor rushed through the halls, crashing through doors and calling out to an unseen leader. Instinctively, I pushed the large door open and ran, not once looking back, to my room. Hearing louder yells behind me as I hadn't even bothered to close the door to my quarters, I seized the hilt of my sword, the Nightingale. Turning in a quick motion, I was suddenly stopped by the sight of a dark figure standing in the doorway.

I didn't recognize him, a tall, broad shouldered man in armor different from the rest. His entire being was generally intimidating, and stopped me in my tracks.

I opened my mouth to speak, and he did so before I could.

"Prince Desperaux Melancholie, you are wanted by the military of Gale for hiding your curse from your kingdom."

….How?

We'd sworn every servant to secrecy…

Unless, that meant… One of the servants had gone behind our backs and disobeyed a code of honor.

I stepped forward gallantly, "And as your prince, I have the authority to know of whom you obtained this information. He or she is guilty of betrayal to the royal family, and deserves to be punished as well. Where are my mother and father?"

"They are awaiting sentencing in a prison cell. You will soon be joining them." He almost smiled at this. I could tell by the satisfied glint in his eye, that this man bore incredible hatred towards me.

"Sentencing?" I questioned, "What sentence have we received?"

He responded with a visible grin, "Death."

The marble halls of the castle were gloomy and somber, echoing with the footsteps of myself and the men of the military. My hands held tightly by some young soldier, as I was led out the castle through the streets of Gale. Glares and looks of horror greeted me as the townspeople looked upon in disgust.

"Behold! Your accursed prince!"

Quickly, and with no gentleness or mercy, the hair from my face was pulled up, and the patch of my eye ripped off. The gasps of the townspeople were followed by the throwing of anything they could find. Shouts of, "monster" "demon" and "devil" were repeated as miscellaneous items of everyday life were heaved at me by the little arms of the citizens. I cared not. I needed to escape.

Just as an armful of food was thrown, I pulled down and ducked my head so the head of the soldier who seized my hands was hit, and in his moment of surprise, I pulled free of his grasp. Running quickly and not turning back, I reached out to grab the hilt of my sword, held conveniently by the soldier ahead of me. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me, not knowing where I was going, only following the small routes of the town I had studied on maps inside the castle. The military kept a jailhouse underground for criminals that _they_ had obtained illegally.

Unseen, I stepped down into a hole hidden by a metal plate behind a small shop in an alleyway. I had spent so much time in the castle that I memorized every passageway in Gale, and finding where I was headed was of no trouble. I assumed the military knew of this, and would find me soon.

Voices called out, resounding through the stone underground of Gale, and I followed their origins to a subterranean alley filled with cells. The prisoners, unrecognized to me, groaned and reached out, clutching at my fine clothes and pale hands. My heart broke for their tarnished souls. Was I the same? Was this eye of mine truly a curse? Was I a tarnished soul? No, I thought. I was no demon.

"I am your prince!" I called out to them, "I am Desperaux, and I am no demon! None of you are monsters, no more than I!"

At this, they groaned louder and some spoke audibly, but the voice I heard above all else was s soft, kind voice of a woman.

"Desperaux!" She called, my mother, her beautiful clothing scraping against the cold, filthy floor of a small cell, and she reached out to me with freezing ashen hands, "Desperaux, my son. What are you doing in such a terrible place?"

"Mother, what are _you_ doing here?" I knelt and clutched her cold hands.

"Desperaux… they took your father away from me. They've come after you, haven't they? Oh, Desperaux. You mustn't stay here, it's not safe. Once they've captured you, they'll kill us all…" She cried softly.

"No, I'll never leave you or father here alone! Mother, who did this to you?"

She bowed her head and let out a soft sob, "Valinothe, the treacherous general... He raised a mutiny within the military against us when he received notice of your presence, and your curse…" She lifted her hand, and brushed the hair from my face. I could see the pain in her eyes as she stared into mine.

"Mother… Is it true? Do you believe that I am cursed?"

She breathed in sharply, to speak, but then the halls echoed with shouts and heavy footsteps.

"It's them, Desperaux! You must go!"

"Never, mother! Not until I free you from this place!" I shouted, clutching my sword as their shadows increased and their armor clad forms emerged from the hall.

Valinothe, the man—the scum—who had imprisoned my mother in such a place, stepped forward with a grin that I despised on his face.

"Surrender peacefully, Desperaux… We have no intention of hurting you, lest you give us cause."

"No, Desperaux! They're lying to you! Get out of here!" My mother called.

Valinothe stepped forward again, "There's no escape, Desperaux. Your wench mother and coward father cannot protect you from my wrath... You can either surrender now, or I'll have the pleasure of killing you myself…"

I felt rage, hot, incredibly fury flood through my body. How dare he, call my mother and father such things! The metal of my sword burned in my hands, and I ached to sate it, and my own hunger for the destruction of them.

"How dare you! You speak this way to the royal family, the king and queen who gave you a home, who promised you peace! No man has the right to accuse his prince of a curse, I am no demon! It is you! The villainous scum of the earth, who thrive off of carnage and sorrow that are the true monsters! You will regret the day you tried to steal our kingdom from us!" I felt a surge of courage, as I thrust my sword out of its sheath so quickly, and charged towards the man in armor, knocking him to the ground as the other soldiers stepped out of my way in fear of the curse. I raised my sword and sliced the locks and chains from the prisoners' doors, hearing their cries of joy and freedom echo behind me as they tried to rush out.

As the military men struggled to stand and fight their way through the crowd, I stood tall and gallant. With a cold sigh, feeling my heart ache for my family, I called out to them, "You, who challenge God's creation, who seek and destroy, and kill, it is you, not I, who are the demons of this earth. Let it be known, that a day will never go by when you will not fear my return! You will forever remember me, Desperaux Melancholie, the fugitive prince, the royal symbol of freedom and justice! Mother, I will return and set you free! The people of Gale will never follow the monstrous likes of its military! I will make sure of it!"

I screamed, and turned, sparing a glance to my mother in her cell, and she nodded to me with tears in her beautiful eyes. I knew then, she never doubted me. She had never believed this curse. My mother, the purest queen of Gale, had never stopped believing in me. It was I, who had stopped believing in myself.

I ran with the crowd as far as I could, following them until a light broke through the end of the tunnel, and I had entered back into the outskirts of town. Never once did I turn back, as I clutched my sword and ran swiftly to the docks of Gale's main harbor, onto one of the large ships that my family had owned. I set the sail quickly, seeing the men in armor appear over the horizon. With all my strength, I took the ship out of the port, and the sea's strong current took hold of it. Slowly, it began to pull me away from everything. My hopes, my dreams, my family, and my kingdom. It felt unreal, as if everything I had ever known was taken away from me in so short a time. I wanted to kneel down and cry, to suffer coldly in my new solitude, until I hear a voice.

"Prince Desperaux!"

I turned, fearing it to be an enemy, but my eyes were cast upon the farthest thing from the like. Crystaline, my faithful maid and friend, stood before me on the deck of the ship. She ran towards me, and threw her slim arms around my shoulders.

"Prince Desperaux, I was so worried! I thought they had killed you! I was setting the ship for sailing, and I was going to search for you!" She cried happily.

"Crystaline, why? This is too dangerous for you! You don't know how to defend yourself; you could have gotten killed if you stood in the way f the army!"

She looked at me gravely, "I knew that they had been coming, your servant Aaric, he revealed your secret to the military for money! I had been planning ways to help you escape, but they attacked so suddenly! I wouldn't let them take you!" Crystaline breathed heavily from tears, and stepped back from me, staring at Gale's receding coast.

"It matters not now," I began, "You and I are fugitives… And we need to find a place where we can hide, and gather forces to defeat those who have risen to power in Gale. Valinothe is a devilish man, as I have seen. He will not let my parents live for long, whether or not I am there. We must return with haste, but also, with allies."

Crystaline sighed, and put her hand on my shoulder, "Prince Desperaux, it is not so bad..."

"Please, Crystaline… Don't call me by that name. I am no prince now; I am an escaped criminal, according to Gale's laws. I have nothing left but faith and my honor. And these things, I intend to keep."

Crystaline didn't reply to me, and I was glad that as the small vision of Gale had disappeared beneath the setting sun, I hoped that someday, maybe someday, this curse of mine could just as well, disappear.


	2. Chapter 2: The Reminiscent Prince

Despair and Melancholie

Chapter Two: The Reminiscent Prince

The hull of the ship creaked as the waves churned in the midst of a storm in the night. I lied on my back, eyes closed but nowhere near sleep when thunder crashed. From the bottom level of the ship where there were a few beds set up for the crew that was expected on a vessel of this size, Crystaline slept in another room that had been made to house a crew. Alone with only my thoughts and the unending sound of rain, I sat in a dark emptiness that let my mind weave lies.

Why had this happened?

It was all my fault.

I should have stayed. It was cowardly to have fled from Gale in the way I did, even if my mother had urged me to. If I was truly the strong man that I yearned to be, I would have stayed and fought for the freedom of my family. But instead, I ran away.

I could not stand the silence any longer, and ventured out onto the mast of the ship. My clothes and hair became soaked with the rain, but it didn't bother me. It actually felt rather peaceful to look up into the dark, grim clouds and feel the coolness of the rain was over my face. I closed my eyes tightly and wished only for it to sweep me away completely. But I knew that wouldn't happen. Reality was often so cruel that when all you wish is for it to be a dream; actuality comes and strikes you so hard that you never dream at all.

Nevertheless, I closed my eyes and the noise of the ship creaking and the thunder off in the distance faded until I felt as if I was nowhere. Lost inside my own mind. Alone, with my thoughts…

Alone.

And just as I expected, reality appeared again.

Why had I tried to be alone? Hadn't I truly been alone all my life, locked away as a prisoner inside my own home, inside my own mind? Why was I now so displeased with the outside world that I yearned to return to solitude? What made man so afraid of loneliness that he clung to whomever crossed his path, or the smallest spider's thread of freedom? Why did I so long for reality when reality was what now frightened me the most? How could I stand here and contemplate my existence when it was the existence of others that I had vowed to protect?

Once and for all, it was clear. I could not wait in protest of my own fears, when I had sworn on my life to protect my family and kingdom from their fears. Life was not about how to live, but how to protect the lives of others.

If I could protect the lives of my people, then it would give my own life meaning.

Who were they to make a judgment on my life? If I was created this way by God, then by all means they have no right to criticize me. They cannot judge me, and I would not allow them to.

It was as if certainty flooded over me, and I could feel the true bravery of a man who has God on his side. There was no changing it, no changing me.

"Prince Desperaux…!"

I turned to see as Crystaline appeared from the lower deck of the ship, staring at me in concern, "What are you doing out here? The rain will make you ill, Desperaux… please come inside..."

I smiled slightly, and turned to face her, "I've told you Crystaline, I am no longer a prince. This time, I'm only myself."

She gave me a strange look once I had said this, and I smiled again, "What do you mean, Desperaux?"

I looked up to the sky as the rain had begun to quell, "I am no longer the fortunate prince of Gale. I'm a fugitive with no destination. But Crystaline, let me tell you…. I have never felt so certain of whom I am before now."

"Desperaux…" She sighed, as I saw the uncertain glimpse of trust in me in her eyes, "We must find somewhere to go…"

I nodded quietly, "I know, but all the maps of the surrounding countries were lost at the palace…"

Suddenly, she grinned so happily that it confused me, and she took my hand and began to lead me back down the stairs of the inside of the ship. With each of her steps taken gingerly a content feeling began to grow in me. With a faithful friend such as Crystaline at my side, it would prove that this quest could not be as lonely as I had feared.

Once we were in the hull of the ship, she brought me farther back to where her chambers were, and reached to a large pile of books atop some barrel. Immediately I recognized the insignia on the cover, my family crest. I gasped aloud so happily as she handed one of the many books from the pile, and I saw as I ran my fingers through the pages that it was one of the many books I had owned in the castle's library. This particular one had descriptions of the customs and locations of the many surrounding countries of Gale.

"Crystaline, this is magnificent! How did you manage to do this?"

She gave me a sweet smile as her cheeks slightly flushed, "I took them all here before you had arrived. I knew we would need them, so I just thought that—" In all my happiness, I put my arms around her shoulders and hugged her tightly, but briefly.

"Thank you so much, Crystaline… I could never repay you…" I replied, seeing her face grow as red as a bright rose. She remained shocked for a few more moments as I had begun to go through the rest of the books, recognizing them all. Near the pile of books there were a few maps that had been rolled up into scrolls. Reaching and opening the first one it revealed Gale and its surrounding countries, just as we had needed. According to the great atlas in my hands, I saw that the country nearest us was a kingdom by the name of Glade. With that, I observed the other novel with descriptions of these countries, where I learned that Glade was a very peaceful land, much like Gale. A monarchy, with the highest position held by their king, a man named Claud. The most important piece of information, though, was that though they were very similar in culture to Gale, their customs did not go as far as to believe that individuals with red eyes were demons.

That was the most important detail, which would dictate exactly where Crystaline and I would be safe to stay. Glad at this, I headed back to the front of the ship where to my surprise, the rain had stopped and the sky was now clearing. A bright and hopeful sun was revealed from behind the gray clouds, and I began to steer the ship towards the new hope that we hand found in Glade.

As we grew closer to the kingdom, my heart began to flutter with a wistfulness that reminded me of home. Glade looked and seemed so similar to Gale that only someone who had studied it carefully—or someone like myself who had examined the appearance of Gale from his window for twenty five years—would be able to tell the difference between the two countries. The land was lush, and the town seemed calm and thriving. The port was open to any traveler, and I steered the ship and settled it in.

There was an indescribable feeling of wonder enveloped me as I gazed upon the calm people and atmosphere that I had never been able to experience at my own home. Crystaline noticed this and turned to me with a soft smile.

"If you'd like, I'll go and find us an inn to stay, and you could go off and explore the town..?" Her eyes showed a kind courtesy to the wanderlust of mine that she knew so well, and I nodded in response.

"Thank you. I'd like to go and see the marketplace… You should come and join me when you're task is finished."

As Crystaline took off into the opposite direction, I stared into the crowd again. Realizing that I did appear somewhat overdressed, I receded back into the hull of the ship. The townspeople were not poor, but they were certainly not wealthy. If someone like myself, clad in such fine clothing were to approach them, I would surely draw attention to myself. I tore the ruffled collar of my shirt, and rolled the sleeves up, I let down my long, golden hair from the tie that held it, and reached for my eye patch. The history said that the citizens of Glade did not criminalize people with my appearance, but it would be in my best interest to keep my eye hidden. I could not tell if there happened to be any soldiers from Gale who had come in search of me. As I turned to leave the ship, my eyes fell upon a familiar wooden case that sat atop a barrel. Again, I recognized the intricate design and my family crest. But this was no ordinary book or scroll. As I opened it, I ran my fingers over the smooth wood and strings of my own violin. My favorite instrument. Crystaline must have brought it along for me as well. I would be sure to thank her again. With a considerable amount of currency in my pocket, and the case of my violin in my hands, I set out to the streets of Glade.

The main marketplace was lovely, and so full of life. Merchants called out from tents and tables where merchandise of any kind was being sold. Tapestries, food, and everyday supplies were being vended by men with joyous eyes. Children ran free in groups, playing small games I had never heard of. Women walked with baskets of food and supplies. It was such a welcoming crowd, it made me yearn for home. I approached a street corner where there were not as many people, and stood against the stone wall of a building. I laid the wooden case to my violin on the cobblestone ground and removed it from the case. I remained unnoticed to the bustling crowd, that is, until I picked up the bow and ran it across the strings.

The sweetest sound flew off the strings as I began to play only from memory a song written long ago, depicting knights and chivalrous heroes of old. The sound echoed like a triumphant yet peaceful tale of nomads and lovers, and it had always warmed my heart to play it for my parents. Unnoticed to me for the time being, a crowd had begun to form at my front, listening to the music. This song reminded me of home, and the family that I missed.

As the last note of the song faded into the surprised murmur of the crowd, I opened my eyes to see a much larger crowd than I had expected. Their faces were bewildered, and joyful. To my surprise, I looked down to see the case for my violin filled with coins and other forms of money. I gasped, not expecting to earn anything. Then I recalled that street-performing such as this was most commonly used to earn payment. More of the citizens leaned down to put money in, and I spoke anxiously.

"N-No, please! Please don't give me your money, keep it for yourselves. I did not mean to compel you to give me any payment…" I shooed their filled hands from the case of my violin, urging them to take back what they had given me, but they refused. One woman approached me and kindly spoke.

"Sir, what's your name?" She asked softly.

Dumbfounded still, I hesitantly replied, "M-Me? I am Desperaux, Desperaux Melancholie…"

"What business does someone so talented have in such a small place like this?" Another citizen asked, respectfully.

Suddenly, they all began asking me questions and seeking information about me.

"I…I came here for… adventure… I suppose..." I said, resorting to a half truth, not willing to lie to such kind people about my true identity.

Still, they pressed further, "But you're so skilled, you must have been well trained. And your clothes are so fine, and you are so well mannered. Where are you from?"

I gasped, not wanting to answer them and nervous from their accurate inquiry of me, "I… I am from Gale… please, I must go…" I said, trying to slowly make my way through the crowd, when a familiar voice broke through loudly and clearly.

"Prince Desperaux, Prince Desperaux! Is that you?" Crystaline's voice called out to me, and the crowd echoed with gasps and repetitions of my title as prince. They couldn't know.

"Crystaline!" I cried, and seized her hand and proceeded to run as quickly as I could while taking hold of my violin and its case full of money, and burst away from the crowd. They gasped as Crystaline and I ran from the marketplace, drawing much more attention to ourselves than I had originally planned. Crystaline then led me quickly to the inn where we were to stay, and we hid ourselves away in separate rooms. I watched from the window warily for some time before I relieved myself of the stress of awaiting a crowd that I feared to be following us.

Hours later, I sat by a candlelit desk, reading over my maps and the many scrolls that described the surrounding areas. I so needed to plan our route, and quickly or there would be no chance of saving my parents and my kingdom. My scattered thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. My heart pounded as I was reminded of the earlier crowd. I breathed deeply and tried to calm my thoughts, and opened the door.

Standing in front of me were two men clad in shining armor. Without thinking, I stepped back and reached for my sword, but they spoke.

"We mean no harm." They said in unison, and I hesitantly relaxed, "We have come to retrieve the prince by the name of Desperaux, in the name of the king of Glade, his majesty Claud."


	3. Chapter 3: The Honorable Prince

Despair and Melancholie

Chapter Three: The Honorable Prince

The most terrible feeling flooded through me as I was bitterly reminded of the feeling of being dragged through the streets of my own country like some common criminal. As I trailed closely behind the knights that had come to retrieve me at the inn, we now walked through the streets of Gale up to the palace. The loud clank of the soldiers' armor seemed to cause the citizens to stir in the night, as I saw their lights flicker on and their faces peek out from their windows. They recognized me from earlier, there was no doubt. My heart beat quickly and angrily as I pondered over the wonders this would do for the plan of keeping my identity hidden.

The path to the castle was a long one, and my legs grew tired at the time when we had reached the doors to his palace. The knights opened them and the first sight was the throne room. The palace would greatly resemble the one at my home to any normal observer, though I had walked its halls so many times that this one seemed terribly different. Surprisingly there was no one at the throne, but I heard footsteps as a group approached from an adjacent hallway. A group of finely dressed aristocrats caught my attention and many of them made strange faces at me, most likely agreeing that I was a criminal. I was certainly being treated as one. As their heads all turned I could pick which one of them was the king instantly. He turned to the others and whispered something so that they all turned down the hall from where they had just came. He approached me with a grin that conflicted with the anger growing in me.

His hair was a dark black and tied behind his head with a ribbon. His attire was nothing short of magnificent, befitting a king. The red overcoat he wore with golden embroidering complemented the white vest and black pants so much that it must have been selected for him. He must have noticed my studying of him and he stifled a childish laugh.

"Prince Desperaux, I presume?" He greeted with no bitterness in his voice, and I felt my own annoyance quell slightly. I nodded, not ready to speak to him. His expression changed to something that resembled surprise in reaction to my disdain, "Is something wrong?" He asked me. His mocking me struck a nerve, and I felt my anger increase even more.

"With all due respect, sir… Why did you decide on parading me around your country like a common criminal?" My anger must have gotten to me, because it is not in my nature to be so rude.

Again, his face changed. But this time to a grin that told me he wasn't as close minded as I had thought, "Like a criminal? Are you handcuffed? Have you been formally arrested or accused of a crime? Because I do not remember issuing such orders and I would greatly appreciate it if you would not accuse me of such injustices, _prince_ Desperaux." He emphasized my title, to show his authority over me. I sighed as he dismissed the knights.

My irritation wavered, only slightly, "My apologies, your highness."

He smiled again, "Not to worry. The reason I called you here wasn't to incriminate you, my dear friend. I have been informed of your current fugitive status by the military of your country. A man named Valinothe contacted me very quickly to warn me of your possible arrival."

My heart picked up as he approached me face to face, and he studied me, "And….?"

"And if I had paid any heed to their instructions you _would _have been handcuffed and paraded through the streets like the criminal they insist you are." He smiled, and I sighed, feeling the fear of being arrested lifted away from me.

"Thank you, ever so much." I replied, and bowed respectively to him. It would do me no good if I spent my time being angry at a man who desired to help me, and deciding this I forced my anger away from me. As I stood he seemed to have noticed the wrestling with myself.

"If you would, prince Desperaux, please take a walk with me."

Our footsteps echoed down the marble halls of the palace in unison. It was quite some time before we spoke, as I just marveled at the features of the palace. It was beautiful and unique, and I didn't think of saying anything to him. I had guessed he asked me to walk with him because he had something to say, but there was silence.

"Well?"

"Well, what?" He replied.

"Didn't you want to talk?"

"I decided to wait for you to tell me what you want to. A conversation is useless unless all participants have something to say. Now, if there's something you wish to tell me before I make assumptions, now is the ideal time." I sighed; he obviously knew human nature so well. He gave me an expectant look, "Well? Is there something you wish to tell me?"

I looked down. Obviously there was something, "You already know, if Valinothe contacted you. I'm a fugitive from my country and I am to be killed for hiding my curse and escaping the military."

"Curse? How do you know you are cursed?" He said with a knowing grin.

The answer seemed almost too obvious to me, "Because having eyes the color red are known as a curse. It has been ever since my country was founded and its elders wrote the scrolls dictating the laws and customs."

"And why do you believe them? Because a group of old 'wise men' wrote it on tattered paper that was passed down through the ages, your entire kingdom takes it to be true? Do you believe you are cursed?"

The moment those words escaped his lips, it hit me that he was absolutely right. Just because the elders believed it doesn't make it true. I don't feel cursed; I don't believe that I'm cursed. I had thought about it earlier, if I was created this way in God's image then no one could say anything against me. It wasn't true.

"Now, you see. You let them tell you who you are, when it is not their place to say. If you allow them to make you into who they think you are, then the real prince Desperaux will cease to exist. If you do not believe you are, then do not allow words written on old papers by aged men to make you believe it."

I happened to stare at him for some time in complete wonder and fulfillment. In one simple conversation he managed to change the way I viewed myself. A part of me greatly wanted to throw my arms around this man and embrace him. Thankfully that part of me wasn't very strong, and I decided against it. Barely noticing, a laugh escaped my lips, and he smiled at me.

"How could it be so simple?" I mused.

Claud nodded thoughtfully, "Sometimes we search so hard for something that we forget to look right in front of us."

"Indeed. I cannot thank you enough, your highness. I owe you—"

"Nonsense, you owe me nothing. Now, I didn't not mean to steal so much of your precious time. When Valinothe contacted me he said that he would be sending groups of his soldiers to the farthest countries in search of you, so you must be extremely careful. I know not if they have already arrived, so be on your guard, prince Desperaux." He put his hand on my shoulder, "And please notify me of your departure back to Gale. I would like to supply you with as many soldiers and supplies as you require."

I was shocked, "Your highness. A gift such as that, I could not accept." I bowed respectfully and removed his arm from me.

"Very well. But feel free to contact me whenever you require aid of any kind." He smiled again, my refusal to his kindness not seeming offensive. It seemed to me that nothing could offend this man.

It had seemed that Crystaline had followed me shortly after I was taken from the inn, but Claud had kept her from intruding on our conversation. When I left the hallway where we had been speaking, she met with me, voicing her concerns over what had happened.

"I assure you, Crystaline, this man will prove to be our strongest ally in our battle against Valinothe. I can promise you that."

Crystaline gazed at me with a confused look in response to the confident look on my face, "Well then, let us return to the inn, my prince."

I nodded, but on our way out a question struck me and I turned quickly back to Claud.

"What of my title, should I make it known to the citizens here?" I asked.

"Do whatever you wish, but be on your guard. Neither you or I know of when Valinothe's men will arrive in search of you." He warned me with a slight nod, "Now go, enjoy your stay in Glade, prince Desperaux."

We looked towards eachother one last time with smiles and nods as Crystaline and I left Claud's castle, and stepped back out into the streets of Glade at midnight.

I had slept for a very long time, as I awoke some thirteen hours later in the middle of the day. The sun shone brightly through the windows and I wondered what Crystaline was doing. Normally she would have woken me many hours earlier at the castle. I sat up, and ran my hands through my hair. It had only been a few days since my home, family and country was stripped from me by the hands of a terrible man who seemed to control the people of my kingdom better than I did. My heart ached and the thought of all that happened depressed me, even with Claud's words of encouragement echoing in my head. Such would be the life of Desperaux, the accursed fugitive prince.

I dressed myself and set out again into the streets of Glade. For some peculiar reason that I still cannot recall, I suppose I was still very tired and left the inn with my sword strapped onto my belt. Some people of the town recognized me, and nodded as we passed. I felt lightheaded and sat down in the shade by one of many small shops. I leaned back and breathed deeply, never once being able to relax like this in my own castle, in the warmth of the outside and comfort of the town. It was saddening to think of, and I tried to go over my plans. The nearest country from Glade is very far, but it is a large thriving country with separate regions and kingdoms, it has many different names but is most commonly referred to as Itinere Cordis. Crystaline and I would need to choose which kingdoms we traveled to carefully, for Itinere Cordis has many kingdoms though some are corrupt. I went over our options in my head, when some strange noise disturbed my concentration.

"Stop, thief!"

My head shot up, and I stood, hearing footsteps approach. I turned and looked to the street where the noise originated and saw a boy much younger than myself though not a child, running from a group of men. The boy held an armful of bread and fruit. In the short moment I noticed he was frail and thin, most likely a homeless boy who needed to steal to eat. Somewhat out of instinct I stepped into the street and caught the boy's arm just as he ran past me, pulling him behind me and drawing my sword. I held it out and the men who were chasing him stopped as they approached it.

"What seems to be the problem?" I asked calmly.

"That little thief stole from our shop!" One of the men shouted scornfully, and I looked to the boy. His eyes seemed to be pleading with me. I sighed, and sheathed my sword. Reaching into my pocket I pulled out enough coins to be able to pay for the food twice more, and handed it to the men.

"Here, that should take care of it. Now, leave the boy to me." The men looked shocked, but eagerly took their payment and left. I turned around and released his arm, "Now, what is a boy like you doing stealing from people like that?"

The boy glared at me, "Stop calling me that! I'm not a child." He replied.

"You certainly behave like one. A man knows right from wrong, and that stealing is a crime."

"I need the food."

"I need food as well, I don't steal it."

"You have the money to pay for it!" He shouted angrily. We faced eachother, his glare meeting my superior gaze. This headstrong boy clearly disliked me, but something in him knew not to be so angry at the one who had saved him from the wrath of those men. He took his armful of food and began to walk away.

"I believe I deserve a thank you."

He stopped in his tracks and turned to face me. He scanned my features while trying to remain defiant, "Who are you?"

I grinned, "Desperaux Melancholie, prince of Gale. And you?" I asked, while walking closer to the boy.

His featured immediately changed, though he tried to hide it. He felt guilty of insulting me, "Y-You're that prince everyone's been talking about?"

I brushed my hair aside, "You mean the fugitive with the accursed eyes? Yes, that's me."

"You don't look cursed."

"I don't think I am."

"Then why did you say that?"

"It doesn't matter. Now, what's your name?"

He looked down dropping his act of forced defiance, "I'm Sethe. And, I'm not a boy! I'm seventeen!"

I laughed. It felt strange to speak to someone like this, in such friendly terms that you could fake anger without upsetting anyone. I had never truly felt the emotions brought on by friendliness, but it was even better than I had expected. Surely this day would prove to hold many friendly encounters for me. That is, until we leave for Itinere Cordis. And with Claud's words of caution echoing in my head, I knew that time would be soon.


	4. Chapter 4: The Aggressive Prince

Despair and Melancholie

Chapter Four: The Aggressive Prince

"You really never left for all those years?"

Sethe and I had retreated to another street corner, where he interviewed me about my life. After his spite towards me had faded, I realized that he was genuinely interested in my plans, and he desperately wanted to join me.

"All my life, I lived in that castle. All my life, until… a few days ago." What surprised me the most, and what was the hardest to comprehend, was that it had scarcely been a week since my world had come crashing down and I had to escape from my home in fear for my life.

"What are you planning to do next?" He asked me, expectation in his voice.

I ran a hand through my golden hair and sighed, "Crystaline and I were planning to set sail towards Itinere Cordis soon, possibly today or tomorrow. We don't know that much about the kingdoms there, though. We need to learn which places we would be welcome."

Sethe's eyes lit up, "I've been there!"

"Really?"

"Well… I've been on the coast. I was on a ship that passed through one of the kingdoms; I don't know the name, but…. I knew someone who lives there."

I could tell there was something he was trying to hide from me. The hesitation in his voice forced me to inquire that there was something strange about him, and I wondered about his past.

"Where are you from? How did you get to Glade?" I asked.

He took a breath, preparing himself for what I guessed was a long story.

"Well, I was born in Canaerion." Immediately, I questioned him. Canaerion was an island very far from here, somewhere off the coast of Itinere Cordis, "It was me, my mother and my sister, Lilia. We lived there for a long time, until… we were attacked. One of the kingdoms in Itinere Cordis attacked us and took over," I supposed he didn't know the name of that country, but I did. Allairre, the largest kingdom in Itinere Cordis, which now controlled more than seventy percent of the entire country, had once tried to take over, and attacked many surrounding nations, "My mother was afraid for my sister and me and hid us away on a cargo ship that was leaving the port in Canaerion. My sister and I never saw her after that day. I was ten and she was eight."

His eyes had grown sullen, and I knew this was painful for him to recall, "We hid in that ship and it docked in Itinere Cordis the next day. My sister and I got off and tried to find work wherever we were so we could find a place to stay. But no one cared about two orphans where we were, and we decided to go back on the ship when it left again to find somewhere new. That day, my sister didn't return to the ship, and I never saw her again after that. But the ship sailed across the sea to Glade, and I lived here ever since. Please, I need to go back to Itinere Cordis to find my sister. I know she's still there after all these years."

Of course I wanted to help, "Do you have any idea where to begin looking?"

"No. But I've heard many stories about a girl who lives on Itinere Cordis; she sounds just like my sister."

I hated to be contrary to his beliefs, but it seemed very unlikely that this random girl could be his sister, "Why do you believe it's her? And who is she?"

Sethe turned to look at me, his face was determined, "They call her the Red Maiden."

Immediately I stopped him. This boy obviously had no knowledge of the history of these lands, or he would know much more about this Red Maiden. She is the highest governor of Allairre; she is replaced every fifty years by her predecessor, who chooses any unwitting lovely girl off the streets to substitute her. But, being the ruler of a terrible place like Allairre meant that their ruler would have an equally cruel and cold heart, and the Red Maiden was described of being just that. She was titled the 'red maiden' because of her gruesome deeds and the blood that had been shed under her regime. It was something mysterious and strange, the disappearance of one maiden to replace the other, and the sudden change in their pure hearts into cold killers. I had to explain this to Sethe.

"Sethe…I'm afraid you're very wrong. The Red Maiden is… the least person you would ever hope your sister would be."

He looked at me strangely, "What do you mean?"

"The Red Maiden rules over Allairre and she is said to be evil and cruel. She's seen the deaths of hundreds of people, and has the blood of many innocents on her hands."

His face changed slowly into disbelief and something that looked like anger, as if he believed this person to be his sister and by explaining what I knew I had offended him. I felt sympathy for him. If his sister truly was this Red Maiden, then there was likely no chance he could even meet her.

His eyes dropped and he bowed his head. What I said upset him, because he had his heart set on believing this to be his long lost sister. I put my hand onto his shoulder and tried to soothe him, until he responded to me.

"Well, we'll just have to see her and find out." I saw a glint of courage in his eyes, and smiled. This boy reminded my much of myself, the strong sense of morals and inability to give up. I believed in him.

I grinned at him, and he did the same back at me, "We'll be leaving soon, I suppose. You can follow me to the inn as we pack our things." I stood and Sethe did the same. And we started towards the inn, turning the corner into the marketplace when I stopped suddenly. My heart could have stopped.

Standing a few yards in front of me was, without a doubt, one of Valinothe's soldiers, speaking to a citizen. There was no doubt in my mind it was about me, and I was proven right when the citizen noticed my presence and pointed me out in the crowd.

I spared a glance to Sethe who looked worried, and told him to stay put. The soldier became wary and approached me slowly, speaking, "Prince Desperaux Melancholie, you are wanted for escape by the military of Gale. Come peacefully and we will not use force-" I ran quickly and slammed my body against the soldier, drawing my sword. He drew his and swung it at me, though I caught his arm and released the blade from his hand. Swiftly I threw him to the ground and held my sword to his face, trying my best to ignore the startled crowd.

"How many others of you are there? Where are they! Tell me!" I shouted at him, threateningly holding my sword to him, "How many!"

"Th-There are ten of us…on a ship at the dock.." He muttered through clenched teeth.

"What has Valinothe done to my family?"

"They're being held prisoner by Valinothe….he plans to execute you all together…"

Fury overtook me, and I cried out in rage. Standing, I took Sethe's hand and ran as fast as I possibly could towards the inn and away from the people who had just seen this horror. I burst in the door to see Crystaline gathering things.

"P-Prince Desperaux? What's wrong? Who is this?"

"This is Sethe, quick Crystaline, we have no time! Valinothe has soldiers here to find me, they're already docked in the port, we must go now!" I cried out frantically, barely giving her time to process the information until I started to grab all the scrolls and maps and put them together, "Crystaline, we are in more danger with every passing second, let's go!"

The situation set in and she reached for the scrolls as well, giving some to Sethe to hold, as I gathered up the last of my things. Putting the money in my pocket, we didn't bother to speak to the innkeeper. Instead, we rushed out the door, arms full, with our sights set solely on the docks. Luckily, they weren't far and I didn't look back once. My heart almost stopped for a second time when I saw a group of three or four soldiers standing closely to our ship, with theirs docked adjacently.

"Stop!" I said to Crystaline and Sethe, and we stumbled to a halt as the soldiers came into view. I brought them behind some ship to hide momentarily before saying gravely, "Listen to me carefully, I need the two of you to be ready to run. Hold the scrolls and stand here until I signal you to come. I'm going to hold the soldiers back while you get onto the ship. Be ready to cut the ropes as soon as I say so. Any one mistake could let them catch us."

"Desperaux! You're so outnumbered, how do you know you can stand a chance against four of them, and what if more come?" She questioned frantically.

I smiled and sighed defiantly, "You underestimate me, Crystaline," I smirked, "You'll see. Now stay calm and listen close."

She spared one more quiet call of my name as I unsheathed my sword and crept out slowly, staying as close to the side of the ship and out of sight as I could. I drew in a breath.

_God, I beg You, give me strength. _

With a few more steps, their eyes caught hold of me, but before they could shout an order, I let out a fierce, "Hyaah!" Bringing my sword up, the sound of clashing steel was intensely loud and resounding. My sword struck faster, and pushed one of them stumbling back. Swiftly I turned around, sword swinging outwards to defend against their oncoming attacks, my back to our ship. I gave a glance to Crystaline, and took a few warning steps away to lead them with me as I cried out, "Now!"

The soldiers' eyes shot to my emerging comrades, but I drew their attention back to me with a loud yell again as my blade landed against their steel armor. Suddenly I felt a pair of arms clad in metal try to seize me from behind, but I was too fast. I pulled the weight of the soldier over my shoulder in such a way that he crashed into one of the others. In the split second that they landed to the ground, I heard Crystaline call my name from the deck of the ship.

"Prince Desperaux! Now!" She cried. Looking back to the two struggling on the ground and my one remaining adversary, I fueled my strength with fury. With one last battle cry, I lifted my blade high over my head and struck it down upon the soldier's armored head, sending him to the ground. The entire thing only lasted a minute or more, yet it felt like forever in my mind. The calculative destruction that I had caused fueled through me a sort of righteous fury. I drew in another heavy breath and leapt onto the ship, with my adrenaline rushing I yelled to Crystaline and cut the ropes holding our ship to the docks. The wind quickly caught the sail and pushed us out to sea.

The trip out to sea was one plagued by worry. A fear of seeing the Galean ships on the horizon in search of me. But by the grace of God, they were not spotted. As nighttime shaded the sky in a deep indigo, our course for Itinere Cordis was set, and our ship swayed calmly with the sea on its way. I was relieved to be able to relax, and watch the stars and moonlight paint the sky in beautiful colors with the sunset. I stood, facing the sea with the cool air blowing against my face. Deep in the back of my mind I prayed that we would be able to arrive safely at our next destination. I would have to study the maps and customs of all the small colonies on Itinere Cordis, just to be ready. I stared out into the horizon, fearing what was to come.


End file.
